Hiring from direct competition.... a few points...

While there is nothing wrong in competing for talent, and 'poaching'from your direct competition, there are some dont's - and there are very relevant to WOW the prospective employee.....
1. Never start with 'your company is in dumps...'. The candidate is willing to look at you precisely because of that... Re-iterate as to how life can be better in your place, rather than speaking the load of negatives about competition.... Reflects badly on the quality of the HR function...!
2. Engage only in a relevant conversation, from the specific prospective employee point of view. Statements like 'xyzee from your place came at our terms etc' would only get you desparadoes' and not the real stars... Remember, you are not a savior, and you get them for a business goal too.
3. Listen to the prospective employee point of view, instead of mouthing platitudes on how your company got people cheap... What is the prospective employee retorts 'you pay peanuts, you get monkeys.. uh...'?!
4. Showcase as to why you are good, and not as to why the other company is bad. The employee comes from there, and has no need to hear their company details from you.
5. Clarify roles and responsibilities, instead of only sounding like buying 'human vegetables'. That is HR at its pits, and is a bad reflection of how you value people.
6. By taking names, of whom you got for what, you drive the prospective employee to more comparison which could harm your company interests... plus now those who have come in are 'your employees', and what you do, directly speaks volumes about your quality of hiring.
7. A simple "this is the best we can pay in your case" is good for everyone. Don't throw open a pandora's box by mentioning all irrelevant data.
8. Remember, you hire people for your company growth. If that is not the pivot, then you are harming careers, and also you company.
9. Good prospective employees are smart candidates... If you think otherwise, the cream will never fall for you verbal innuendo. And no book in HR advises innuendo as a prudent hiring practice.
10. Allow the prospective employee to speak, and for godsake, you listen. As they always say, two ears are to listen that much more, that speaking with one mouth. And if its a tele conversation, you have to listen that much more.

Remember, the prospective candidates, in these few conversations, see you as a brand ambassador. And HR is indeed the best brand ambassador for your organisation.

Lets' live up to our jobs...!

The Seven Most Common Pitfalls in Hiring.. Courtesy of Joy Chen.

When performing a search, hiring executives often commit the same mistakes again and again. Search-firm professionals often fall into the same traps. Oftentimes on a search, these pitfallsare layered on top of one another, resulting in a new employee who lacks the skills, characteristics and cultural fit your business really needs. Here are a few common traps. Do any sound familiar?

The Halos and Horns Effect

When interviewing, most people make a "yes/no" assessment on a candidate within the first few minutes of an interview. Research shows that the "halos" or "horns" you attach to a candidate then tend to color your entire interview, as well as your recollection of the interview. The "halos and horns" effect thus clouds your ability to assess a candidate's fit beyond a cursory first impression.

The Search for a Replica

When a company needs to fill a position that has been vacated, often they go looking for someone similar to the person who just left. "What was the old CFO like," you may ask yourself, "Where did he or she come from?" In this way, the search is based on the past needs of your organization rather than the needs of your company today or in the future.

The Copycat Approach

When they're not sure where else to turn, companies often look to their friends and competitors for examples of who to hire. You may ask, "Does anyone have a Vice President of Marketing position description I can borrow?" By copying someone else's search, you'll end up with candidates suited to someone else's company rather than yours.

The Search for a "Great Athlete"

Lack of clarity in what a company is looking for can doom any search. We've seen more than one CEO instruct, “Just give me a great athlete and I'll fit them into the position.” But other company officials involved in vetting candidates who have no idea how the CEO defines a “great athlete.” Searches often break down on the basis of what's left unsaid in candidate criteria.

The Monster.com Approach

Companies sometimes zero in on the elements of a candidate's resume to the detriment of other elements of the search. They may be so impressed by the Ivy League MBA, or the stint at a big-name consulting firm, that they forget to closely assess the candidate's soft skills and cultural fit against what's needed.

Looking for a New Friend

This is an inverse of the Monster.com Approach. People sometimes put too much emphasis on a candidate's ability to "fit in" to the company's social atmosphere. Lacking a structured approach to interviewing, you may find yourself turning the interview into an informal chat, and end up without a clear sense of the candidate's skills and competencies versus what's needed in the position.

The Mini-Me Approach

People like to spend time with others who are like themselves. In hiring for your team, you may find yourself unconsciously looking for someone who mirrors your own style and skills, indeed, a more junior version of yourself. Over time, with this approach, you may find that your team lacks the range of talent that you need to effectively reach your goals.

This is such a good hiring ready-reckoner... Love this....